


Cerulean Lights

by whataterrorificmess



Series: Terror: Drabble Collections / Prompt and Kinkmeme Fills [3]
Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Dr Goodsir is so pure and fascinated, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Mentions of Character Death, Tumblr Prompt, Unexpected body transformations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-08-19 02:10:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20202031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whataterrorificmess/pseuds/whataterrorificmess
Summary: After an unusual experience on the dog watch he wasn't even supposed to be on, with the aurora borealis, Thomas Jopson starts to notice a few alarming changes.Oh no. How was he going to hide this from the captain?Beggining takes place Episode 05: First Shots A Winner Lads, the same night right after Mr Blanky gets mauled, but it clearly diverges from cannon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DesertRabbit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertRabbit/gifts).

> THIS STORY WAS INSPIRED BY A PROMPT GIVEN TO ME ON TUMBLR AND IT IS.... so cute.
> 
> OMG I HAVE BEEN UP ALL NIGHT WORKING ON THIS!! SHIIIIT I GOTTA GO TO SLEEP!!!!

Jopson let out an irritated huff as he made his way on deck and his whole body shuddered instinctively as he fully emerged from the mild warmth down below deck to the frigid temperatures outside. 

The captain was in a mood fuelled by his habits. He’d sent poor Edward back and forth from Erebus and Terror twice tonight already. 

Mr Blanky had gotten mauled badly and was now resting in sick bay with Dr McDonald and Dr Peddie who were awaiting the company of Dr Stanely and Mr Goodsir whom both men had requested with dire urgency.

Apparently they had run out of something needed to help Mr Blanky’s pain.. or was it to help infection? He couldn’t remember. 

So, poor Lieutenant Little had been sent AGAIN back to Erebus now accompanied by Fitzjames. 

Thomas didn’t envy the man, good lord he must be absolutely freezing. He hadn’t even been outside more than ten minutes and he already felt unbearably cold himself. 

All of this, because their captain was in a mood. 

With the captain having retired for the night, he was sent up by Hodgson to relieve whoever was on the first dog watch for at least half-an hour until he could take over, the lieutenant having been wrapped up in something or another. 

Very little of Terror’s men had stayed upon the ship after the lashing and that made the watches extremely stressful. 

With their ever constant skeleton crew it was hard on the watches, he’d had to do once before already and he was not looking forward to it, most of the time they tried to keep him free in case the captain were to need him. 

He let out an exhausted sigh, he took out a rolled cigarette from his breast pocket and the matchbox to accompany it. 

Every time he smoked it almost always made him nauseous later, but sometimes when he found himself needing to stay awake as with most of the men who commonly smoked on watch, the nicotine helped.

Pipes were distasteful, he couldn’t handle that much tobacco in one go, he’d be puking his guts out for hours. 

How the heavy smokers of the crew, being their captain, Little, Hodgson, and Mr Blanky… good Christ Mr Blanky smoked like a fiend, how they could handle such amounts was a mystery to the young steward. 

“Mr Jopson?” 

He startled slightly and turned to find the boatswain John Lane with a lantern and a rifle shouldered, his teeth chattered violently as he stood there. 

“Um.. yes, Mr Lane I was just looking for you. I was sent to relieve you of watch for a while.” 

The poor man was so fucking cold he almost seemed disorientated as he just gawked. “But… you’re.. a steward...”

Jopson couldn’t help but laugh at the comment even though under most situations, he’d probably be offended. “I couldn’t agree more John! A steward and also and employed by her Majesty’s Royal Navy, I’ve done my modest number of watches. You needn’t worry.” 

Mr Lane just nodded and Thomas held the cigarette tightly between his teeth as he took the rifle and the lantern from the boatswain who made his frozen stagger to the hatch and soon, disappeared below deck. 

Shouldering the rifle Thomas took a drag of the cigarette and exhaled deeply.

Silent. 

Everything was eerily silent and that was exactly why he hated the dog watch, especially when there wasn’t a gale wind, blowing snow, nothing but absolute stillness.

He made his way across the deck, peering at the mess from the creature's attack earlier in the night, the men had been ordered to take care of come tomorrow. 

Such destruction, that creature truly was a force to reckon with.

The sky was alive with the magnificent green, light purples and pale blues but it was still a starless night. 

At one point in his life, Jopson had enjoyed those lights and felt honored to bare witness to them, how the exquisite displays would dance across the sky in those beautiful rainbow vortexes of resplendent color. 

He used to adore them.. would watch for hours if he were granted the time, but now after all this the colors felt ominous. Like a visual, unspoken, word of advice from a desolate cruel place. That word was telling them to leave, that they were not welcome here, and the colors were the only given threat as to what would happen to them should they overstay.

Still, Jopson found himself looking up at them tonight as he patiently took another drag off his cigarette. 

Wait… what the hell was that?

Jopson blinked a couple times in surprise, unable to help noticing how the blue section within the Aurora Borealis's beautiful display tonight, were doing something he’d never seen them do before. 

The blues within the night sky were moving which was normal, but... but… but they were coming closer… to the ship? 

Was he seeing things? He had to be hallucinating. 

He continued to watch in silent awe as the brilliant blue light drifted lower and lower in the night sky, the glowing lights moving in glittering tendrils that crept down the beams of the mainmast wrapping around it like the finest of lace. 

This… this wasn’t normal… something was wrong…

Alarmed, he took a step back pulling the cigarette from his mouth and reaching to his shoulder to grab the strap of his rifle. 

Wooden planks of the ship now glittered with a lazuline sheen that hovered above the deck like fog during the early morning, it caused snow and ice crystals upon their frozen surface to shine brightly like thousands of small diamonds. 

“L-Lieutenant Hodgson...” he tried to call for the higher ranking officer as if the man could hear him from where he was below deck, but still his voice came as a small uneasy rasp. 

From a few feet in front of him the lights moved as a tendril of wispy azure that moved through the air like a snake towards him stopping just a few inches away from his chest where it hovered in a bright cerulean orb. 

“Oh!” he mumbled in quiet surprise. 

He squinted his eyes at the blindingly luminous sapphire hue that hovered less than an arms length away. It was so bright, it almost made his eyes water. However despite his understandable rush of fear from the unusual phenomenon, Jopson found an innocent fascination started to seep into his mind. 

What was this? 

It was almost like the lights was alive in some way.

Putting his cigarette between his lips again, he reached out a curious albeit trembling hand towards the sparkling cerulean source of illumination. 

Unexpectedly it was as soon fingers touched the light source that a sharp pain exploded, like one of Fitzjames’s fabled rockets, in the back of his head and everything went black. 

**~ X X X~**

As Edward made his way back on board Terror with Dr Stanely and Mr Goodsir, he was taken aback when he found no one on watch. 

Mr Lane was on watch when he left. 

The possibility of that thing having returned after the carnage from earlier sparked into his mind and he ushered the two Ereubites down below to go inform Lieutenant Irving to meet him on deck immediately. 

After seeing the men to the hatch, Edward turned on his heels and began to look around. 

Through the blindingly heavy snow that had manifested half-way through the last trek back to the ship, he saw the faint glow of an oil lamp on deck a few feet away to the left.

Steeling himself for the discovery of another dead seaman, he made his way over, his teeth chattering violently with cold. 

The word ‘surprised’, could never do the feeling he experienced when he found Petty Officer Thomas Jopson upon the wooden planks that made up the deck, his eyes closed and his body was seizing violently as he lay on his side. 

“Blast it all!” he gushed, dropping to his knees beside the man who’s face was a pale blue from the cold. 

How long had he been up here?! 

Edward placed two strong hands upon the poor steward’s side trying to still the man’s convulsions. 

“Oh my goodness!” came the shocked voice from Lieutenant Irving as he came to a stop behind him, Hodgson hot on his heels. 

“George! Inform the doctors to expect someone now! John help me!” Edward bellowed moving to grab hold of one of the steward’s arms. 

Irving complied without question and Edward was sure he hadn’t seen Hodgson move so fast in all the time on this expedition. 

The two of them hoisted Jopson’s still seizing body up between them, Edward stamping out a cigarette he suddenly noticed had fallen from the steward’s mouth. 

He was seizing so violently that they almost dropped him a couple times before they could get a good grip on the young man. 

The steward uttered a choked noise a distress and John hushed him quietly with an offered short verse scripture. Edward rolled his eyes.

Somehow, something in his gut screamed at him that these tremors were not from the cold… not all of them anyway. Something was very, very wrong with the captain's steward. 

**~ X X X ~**

“Aw, fuck what happened to Jopson? That thing didn’t come back already!?” Mr Blanky rasped weakly trying to prop himself up on his elbows only to be shoved back down by an irritated John Peddie. 

“Damn you Mr Blanky! If you do not hold still this instant I will tie you to that bunk! This is the third time I have had to restart this stitch!” 

Dr McDonald was already instructing them to lay Jopson on the cot across from the alarmed ice master.

“I don’t know, he was like this on deck.” Edward answered through chattering teeth.

“Good lord, he’s freezing!” Goodsir noted when he felt the steward's face. 

“Well I would expect him to be.” Dr Stanely stated dryly and receiving a glare from Lieutenant Little. 

McDonald noticed the tension and looked to Dr Peddie. “John, I can treat young Jopson if you wish to continue with Mr Blanky? You can inform Dr Stanely of the situation.” 

His companion nodded before turning his gaze to their first lieutenant who looked frozen through. 

“Mr Goodsir, do you think you can tend to Lieutenant Little? Get him something to-” 

“Blazing Christ! I am fine! I am more worried about him!” Edwards snarled, patience finally wearing after all of the events that had happened in one night. 

“Regardless I think-”

“Nngh! T-The…. The lights… the... lights are... moving!” the startled pain ridden cry that was interrupted with heavy speech difficulty garnered everyone's attention.

**~ X X X ~**

Sleeping in someone else’s room was not appealing to him at all.

Dr Peddie suggested that the captain’s steward bunk with someone tonight for body heat and Edward had volunteered, no one else had. George was a married man, and John oh god forbid he had his bible shoved up his arse.

Even though the reason for the accommodation was not by ANY means supposed to be something more than to help the poor man battle the cold, the other lieutenants refused and most everyone else had retired.

Harry Goodsir, bless his sweet heart, had shyly offered but Dr Stanely had dragged the man with him as they returned to Mr Blanky’s cabin. The two medical officers were reluctantly staying for the overnight, Edward had refused the allow two men to go back by themselves with that thing out there, and he absolutely would NOT go across that ice four times in one night. Captain Fitzjames could yell at him later, they were going to head back to Erebus in the morning. 

The only other option they had was to wake the captain and… he really didn’t want to do that.

He didn’t need to stay all night, just until the steward’s trembling had stopped,

Edward let out an awkward huff as he pulled on his night shirt. He glanced over his shoulder at the steward’s bunk where Jopson could be found still shivering with cold. 

Jopson’s eyes were huge, pupils blown so wide they looked like black dots as they stared at him uneasily. His hair was sweaty and his lips parted slightly as he breathed softly.

The poor man was disorientated by the mild sedation the doctors had to use to get him to relax and to battle the mysterious convulsions from earlier. He'd been mumbling something about.. blue lights coming down from the sky ever since he'd woken up in sick bay.

“B-Blue… blue li-ghts… t-the blue lights… they… it.. it moved… L-Lieutenant… it… it moved… i-it touched me... Sir... blue lights... lights...” Jopson mumbled softly and Edward frowned. 

All four men hadn’t seemed to have a clue what the convulsions had been. Stanely finally concluded it could have been a seizure but from what McDonald’s records stated, Jopson had never suffered ailments of the sort. Dr Peddie thought maybe it could have been a mini-stroke but admitted that if this were the case he didn’t think he’d wake up so fast. 

Finally Erebus’s surgeon had retired for the night, and Edward was glad to be out of the man’s presence he really did not like Dr Stanely much at all. 

“Alright, Mr Jopson. Let us get this over with, so I can go sleep in my own bed.” he gruffed grabbing the steward’s waist to slide him over.

Jopson’s trembling hands grabbed at his alarm written all over his young face. 

“At ease seaman, Doctor’s orders, nothing of ill intent I give you my word.” he reassured prying the shaking fingers from his wrists. 

Though he was hesitant the shaking man did manage to scoot over slightly allowing him to crawl into the bunk beside him. 

**~ X X X ~ **

Edward awoke later... several hours later feeling warmer than he normally did when he slept. 

Finding himself not in his own room, he was confused for a moment before he felt someone beside him or more pressed up against him. 

That’s right he was in Mr Jopson’s bed cabin, the poor man had been so struck with cold that Dr Peddie had requested one of them to bunk with the young man at least until the shivers went away. 

Glancing down he was surprised when he found the steward not just laying beside him, but he was quite literally snuggled against him with a look of peaceful content as his face that was nuzzled against his chest through his nightshirt. 

The lieutenant swallowed thickly, face burning uncomfortably. 

Wait. His shivers had stopped though. So that meant he could leave. 

Oh thank god!

Just as he was about to pull away Edward paused.

What was that noise?

A soft hming noise.. no it wasn’t a hum, yet it wasn’t a snore… almost a clicking… h-he really couldn’t describe it... but whatever it was it… coming from… 

Was that coming from Jopson? 

It was… a rattle almost… and it sounded with every breath he took where it would gradually become loud and then soften with each inhale and exhale. It repeated itself. 

Briefly he worried about the possibility of the man having pneumonia, he knew the rattling of one's chest could be such a sign, he'd had the sickness himself a couple times in his life to know this far too well. However he discarded the thought from his mind, he didn't recall the rattling being so lengthy as this was... it was almost a pattern.

His brow furrowed in confusion and he leaned in ever so slightly to listen. 

It was coming from his throat. 

This was… maybe he should go get one of the doctors. 

That was exactly what he was going to do, right now, Christ he didn’t care what time it was. 

Carefully as to not wake the man he eased himself from Jopson's hold and climbed out of the bunk. 

The noise stopped as soon as he was free. 

**~ X X X ~**

When Jopson awoke the next morning he had a massive headache and his lower back was incredibly sore. 

He let out a small groan as he sat up his hand massaging the sore muscles. 

Oh god what had happened last night? He remembered having cigarette on the dog watch but after that everything was a blur of blue... and no matter how hard he tried to recall anything afterwards it just seemed to worsen his aching head. 

Did he drink? 

No.. that wasn’t right… 

Unnerved he let out a frustrated sigh and and sat up swinging his legs over the side of the bunk. 

Either way he needed to get dressed and start his day by helping the captain start his. 

He grabbed the bottom of his night shirt and pulled it up over his head tossing it in a pile near the door, he usually got to his laundry after he did the captains, so he always had his waiting by his door for when that time came. It helped to keep his routine in order. 

Good lord, why was he so damn sore? Had he slept weird?

A loud bang he recognized as the noise of an iron cast pot being dropped made him jump and caused his head to throb.

“God damn! There goes the start of breakfast.” 

“Don’t worry Mr Diggle, I’ll get it.” came the voice of Lieutenant Hodgson.

Jopson froze abruptly. 

Wait a second… the galley was down the hall. H-How did he hear that so clearly? 

Fuck his head. 

Squeezing his eyes closed he dipped his chin to his collarbone pinching the bridge of his nose tightly in attempts to divert the worsening headache as he inhaled deeply.

Something soft brushed against he back of a knee and he nudged his foot with an irritated, “Stop it Neptune.” but he froze when he found his foot met nothing. 

_ ‘What…?’ _

Eyes snapping open wide in alarm he stood abruptly looking at his feet. 

There was something in his room!?

A mouse maybe?

But he… all train of thought disappeared immediately as he caught his reflection in the mirror. 

**~ X X X ~**

“Good morning Lieutenant Little! I was just coming to find you.” chimed Mr Goodsir as he greeted him in the dimly lit passage, holding out a steaming ceramic cup in bright offering as the man made his way down the hall… looking quite dead on his feet. 

Goodness he looked awful. He must not have slept well.

Indeed, because he didn’t even seem to notice the offered coffee and instead let out a grumble low and soft, “C-Coffee… need coffee...” he was dragging his feet as he staggered in the direction of the galley.

Mr Goodsir stumbled over his words for a second before a careful hand grasped at his shoulder to stop him, gently pushing the cup into his hand, “Right here Lieutenant.” 

Edward took a couple long sips before tired eyes slowly peered up at him in silent confusion. 

Henry blushed slightly under that stare, “Ah, yes I talked to Mr Gibson, he told me how you like your coffee. Dr Stanely has left already with Lieutenant Hodgson, but I wished to speak to you abou-”

“Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!” 

The loud wail that came from Jopson’s door had both of them moving the few meters they had been from it and Edward yanked the sliding door open to find poor Jopson in COMPLETE state of undress giving the men a clear view of his.. bits. He was screeching and grabbing desperately at something behind him. 

Edward immediately went bright red upon their.. untimely intrusion and he raised one hand slightly to shield his view but lowered it again when he caught sight of something. 

“E-Extraordinary...” Goodsir gasped out with fascination, and the man immediately entered the room despite the fact that he was completely trespassing on the Petty Officer’s privacy... in more ways than one. Edward was too lost in shock himself to chastise the man and his arm dropped back to his side as his mouth fell open.

No, he was awed by the long, sleek, and furry black tail now protruding from the young steward’s lower back. Said tail that Jopson was desperately trying to grab as his breathing quickly morphing into hyperventilating aspiration. 

Goodsir rushed forward to aid the poor steward as he collapsed to his knees panting.

“Lieutenant.. I.. think this might be rather… alarming to your crew perhaps…?” Goodsir’s voice came quiet from where he stood trying to coax Jopson to breath normally in his state of panic.

Without a word Edward quickly left the room, slamming the sliding door shut and turning with his back pressed tightly up against it. Immediately found Lieutenant Irving standing before him, half-dressed and groggy as he knocked his knuckles against his chest, though he had been meaning to hit the door.

Scowling irritably he shoved the third lieutenant back roughly which made the man rouse from his sleepiness rather quickly in alarm. His face flushed slightly in embarrassed.

“Go wake the captain!” was the only thing Edward could find to say.

“What’s going on...?” 

“GO WAKE THE CAPTAIN NOW!” he bellowed the alarm in his voice as clear as the deep crimson blush on his face.

**~ X X X ~**

“Get it off! Get it off of me right now!” the poor man finally wailed as his panic attack took its wrath off his breathing. 

He yanked at the dangling appendage roughly only to cause himself a searing pain that shot up his entire spine and made his body spasm as he let out a loud pained scream. 

“Ah! Mr Jopson hold on that doesn’t seem to be-” 

“What’s happening to me?!” Jopson wailed grabbing the anatomist by his lapels but Goodsir couldn’t be bothered, no he was too busy inspecting the furry black ears that blended almost perfectly with the dark hair atop the young man’s head. 

The captain’s steward was so upset by the tail and matching ears that he had not a care in the world for modesty, and that didn’t bother Goodsir in the slightest, he was too fascinated by the manifested appendages. 

“I… don’t know…” 

“You’re a doctor! You’re not supposed to tell me that!” the steward cried swatting his hands away from the unnatural additions that had seemingly sprouted on his body overnight. 

“Um, right.. well I’m actually just an anatomist...” Goodsir uttered softly, a fascinated hand subconsciously trying to find its way back to the left ear only to be slapped away again. 

“Stop it!” 

“Ah, forgive me its just… it looks like...” 

“What? What do you mean he was hurt!? Buggering Christ Edward why in fuck’s name wasn’t I informed of this!?!”

came the enraged voice of Terror's captain.

“Oh but Sir… I-I didn’t expect something… like this… he..” 

Lieutenant Little could be heard trying to reason with the man.

No! No! No!! The captain could not see him like this!!!

Without even a word, nor explanation to the man inside the room with him, Jopson bolted to his feet nearly tripping over them as he lunged to his bunk and yanked the blankets over his head.

This was the worst day of his life!!

“He what!?! God better help you if you don’t move your sniveling hide from this door immediately!” 

Edward let out something that sounded an awful lot like a sob and Jopson hated, he HATED how everything seemed amplified. 

The sliding door on its track sounded like nails on a chalkboard and his body shuddered. 

“Mr Goodsir, what are you doing here?” 

“Oh! Good morning Captain, I came with Dr Stanely last night to assess Mr Blanky’s leg...” 

“Where’s Jopson?” the captain asked urgently. 

Henry felt his mouth go dry as he glanced over to the steward who was still hiding under the blankets like a pouting child.

“Ehm… well… yes...” 

The captain followed his gaze to the steward’s bunk and lifted an eyebrow in confusion and no shortage of frustration, having been woken up, and hardly been able to throw on his trousers, boots, and under shirt before hurrying out of his bed cabin in fear of his steward being morbidly wounded.

“Jopson! What’s this about you being hurt last night? Why are you not in sick bay!?” 

“O-Oh sir… please leave me...” 

Captain Crozier let out a shocked gasp that sounded more a growl as an offended look graced his features. 

“Thomas Jopson you get out here right now boy!” 

“No.. please sir.. I-I’d really rather not… not like this… please...” came the hesitant protest. 

Goodsir shrank back slightly when he witnessed, for himself, what must be what so many people warned him of and that was Francis Crozier’s frightening Irish temper. Observing the way the red crawled up his neck and slowly filled his face even to the tips of his ears, blue eyes a deep storm cloud as his body trembled with barely contained rage. 

“DID YOU JUST TELL YOUR CAPTAIN NO?! GET OUT FROM UNDER THOSE BLANKETS AT ONCE!!! I WILL NOT REPEAT MYSELF!! DO I NEED YOU LASHED BOY!?!” Crozier roared in not only full captain’s voice but full Irish fury that left his breath coming in agitated pants, each inhale making his broad chest puff out in his aggressive stance. 

At the threat of being lashed, Goodsir heard the other man let out a hysterical sob, and slowly he started to lower the covers just enough that he could meet the captain’s eyes. 

Immediately the color in their captain’s face drained and his mouth hung open in shock. He stared at the ears that seemed akin to a cat’s that were set amongst his black hair. The themselves were now low almost flattened against his head and Goodsir found himself scrambling to fetch his notebook and pen from his coat, quickly jotting down notes about how the ears seemed to respond to his feelings. 

“Please… please Sir… I don’t… I don’t want you to see… anything else…” he wept softly.

“I… you have… what? Anything else…?” he looked at Mr Goodsir who looked unsettled and unsure how to put whatever had happened into words. 

Something moved under the blankets thumping in irritation against the mattress and Francis paled even further and silently approached Jopson’s bunk. 

“Oh please… no.. Sir don’t!” Jopson shrieked hands tightening their hold on the blankets when his captain grabbed the other end of them. 

With one swift movement Crozier yanked the bedclothes off and tossed them to the floor. 

Jopson was as naked as a babe but that wasn’t a bother to Francis. He’d seen the boy naked a couple times, once accidentally back in the Antarctic and… once here on a… very drunken night that the two of them hadn’t spoken of since. Despite his indifference to his naked state, the lad crossed his ankles and raised his legs a bit to offer himself some modesty in front of his captain, blush alive on his face. 

No the nakedness wasn’t bother, indeed, but what DID catch his attention was the dark furred tail that swished anxiously behind him. 

He looked back at Goodsir in astonishment, as if the anatomist would be the one to explain or even know how they had gotten there but the man paid no notice continuing to jot things down in his notepad.

“S-Sir…?” Jopson’s tearful voice reached his ears and he turned to him again this time to fully take in is steward’s… condition.

Poor Jopson, his legs drawn up, black tail swishing uncomfortably between them, his dark hair was messed from sleep, his pale eyes were wet with tears of fright, his bottom lip stuck outward in a silent pout, his heaving chest decorated with the familiar hair that was as dark of the rest of the hair on him, from the stuff on his forearms, around his genitals, and even the mop of a mess atop his head where those black cat like ears lay flat against his head. 

Though Francis knew he should be alarmed, concerned, he couldn't help but snort out a laugh even though it immediately welcomed an outraged expression from his steward.

Soon his snort turned to a chuckle, then a giggle, and soon he was laughing uncontrollably clutching his sides. 

A scandalized expression accompanied by a flustered squeak of a man who truly had no clue what he should say first, even though there was much he had a mind to.

“T-Thomas… you.. you’re adorable…!” he cried doubling over with hysterical laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

“Sir! I-It’s not funny!” the young man wailed upset, his sobs increasing and though Francis struggled to cease the laughter he did, but that didn’t mean he was able to hide the entertainment in his blue eyes as he handed Thomas the blankets which he immediately used to cover himself. 

“Shh, I-I’m sorry lad… it’s just… it.. I’m sorry Thomas.” 

“W-What am I going to do!? This.. Th-This… oh god the men! What am I going to…” 

All at once Jopson’s voice froze mid sentence and that did raise alarm for both the men until he burst into a mess of hysterical inconsolable sobs. 

“O-Oh God!! W-What… my family… what am I… oh no! I-I can’t… oh god why!?” the steward shrieked between hiccups and gasps for breath as he buried his face in his hands. 

Captain Crozier swallowed, all amusement seemed to vanish as he finally took in the situation in its entirety. 

Jopson had been fine yesterday, no doubt patience with his captain running thin, but fine none the less. 

Then this morning he’s woken up with information that something had happened last night and now Jopson had a pair of ears reminding the captain of Fagin, the cat aboard Erebus… and a tail to match it. 

Not only was it unfathomable but it… would the condition last?

“Dr Goodsir, how many people know about this?” Crozier asked rubbing the steward’s back in attempt to console the hysterical lad if he could.

Mr Goodsir’s own ears perked at the title the man used to address him and he blushed faintly looking up from his notepad. “Um.. yes, that would be you, Lieutenant Little, and myself.” 

“Little!” Crozier called, to the door he realized now exactly why Edward had been standing idly outside the steward’s bed cabin, to keep watch and not let anyone enter. 

A soft knock and the door slid open a crack. “Here, Sir.” 

“I want this to remain at the utmost secrecy between the three of us, it will not leave this room until we know what the hell this is. No one is to know unless I give specific orders.” 

Edward nodded glancing at poor Jopson who was a mess atop his bunk. 

“Yes, Sir.” 

“Good, I will, however, request that you go retrieve Dr McDonald. Keep the details vague, we can explain them when he gets here.” 

With that the other man shut the door and Crozier turned to poor Jopson who was still sobbing brokenly. 

“Here, let me see lad.” he sighed softly as he lifted the blankets enough that he could see the sleek black tail that swished ever so slightly. 

Jopson didn’t respond, too burdened by his panicked thoughts to do anything as he took the appendage into his hands delicately. 

By the gods it was soft! He couldn’t believe how fine the fur felt on his palms, 

“I-Is it bony?” Goodsir asked with nothing but fascination by what had occurred since last night. 

Crozier looked at the main with a wry smile, “No… Doctor… it’s soft.” 

Goodsir let out an undignified snort, before cheekily reiterating his question, “NO, Sir, I meant does it feel like it has bone in it? Like a cat’s tail.” 

He had not been expecting soft spoken, timid, Dr Goodsir, to be capable of such snark and he couldn’t help but laugh softly. 

“You my good man, need to have a sit down with Terror’s Ice Master when he is able.” 

Henry blushed but he didn’t say any more, instead looking at him with that question still hovering in his eyes. 

Francis hm’d softly, running his fingers up the length of the mysterious tail, placing a reassuring hand upon Jopson’s shoulder when he shifted the blankets so he could see the base that protruded from his lower back. 

He gave the thing a couple firm squeezes between fingers, trying to feel for anything beneath the midnight black fur, he could, hard bony ridges covered in thin skin before the fur started. 

When he squeezed too hard, Jopson gave a shout of pain and his hand came back with a fierce punch aimed at his face, that had given captain barely enough time to reach up and stop the fist with a large, weathered, calloused hand.

Blinking in surprise he forced his temper back in check, if it had been anyone else besides Jopson, especially in his state.. he would have taken offense and made sure that disciplinary action was enforced for a sailor even daring to strike his captain.

“Shh, I’m sorry Thomas.” he reassured the lad gently. 

Jopson’s eyes were huge, his mind catching up with the actions that had been caused by reflex. “O-Oh… captain… I’m… I-I..” 

He shook his head, “It’s okay… that was my fault, we just need to figure out what we can do for you that’s all.” 

A knock on the door indicated Edward’s return and Jopson whimpered softly, he was so utterly humiliated. 

It felt like he was just a spectacle. 

Dr McDonald, slid the door open and averted his eyes for a moment when he realized Jopson was in a state of undress, as comical as it was since the man was a doctor for goodness sake. 

“I-I’m covered, Sir...” Jopson uttered weakly. 

The doctor cleared his throat and turned his attention back to him and like, Little and Crozier’s initial reactions, the fair haired doctor was left staring in surprise. 

“Goodness...” the doctor managed eyeing the abnormal ears and the tail swishing against the bed clothes.

“Ohh...” Jopson groaned nervously hiding his face in his hands again to which the captain tried to rub his back in attempts to soothe his nerves. 

Edward slipped into the cabin as well, informing them that below was clear besides Mr Diggle of course, everyone else was on deck tending to the damage done the previous night. 

“Thank you Edward.” the captain spoke giving the lieutenant a grateful nod. 

“Sir. Is there… anything else I can do?” Little asked, wetting his lips with his tongue. 

“Yes Lieutenant, I would like details about what happened last night.”

All three of the other men looked at Jopson expectantly.

“I-I don’t… I don’t remember! I-I was on dog watch and … that’s that’s it!” the poor steward cried. 

“Easy son, deep breathes. We’re all just as baffled by this… situation.. as you, but panicking isn’t going to help the matter.” 

Jopson looked at the doctor like he’d gone mad. 

“Not panic?! How can I not panic!! I have a god damn tail!” the boy shrieked, swatting at Mr Goodsir’s hands when the man tried to inspect the infernal thing.

The poor man absolutely could not help himself and Crozier couldn’t help but find it rather amusing how Jopson had to keep fighting curious hands off. 

All the sudden poor Jopson’s face went as white as the snow outside, and he grabbed at the front of the captain’s shirt as he swayed uneasily. 

Things were starting to get unbearably loud, he could hear the grating of wooden planks above as the men traversed them above deck. He could hear Mr Diggle humming in the galley. The groaning ice sounded like cannon fire. 

His eyes were starting to burn, everything was too bright. It hurt awfully!

“I-I… Sir.. I don’t…” 

“Thomas?” Francis asked urgently, cupping the boy’s face in two large hands. 

Surprise struck the captain’s face though as he stared into his eyes, the pupils had narrowed into a slanted line within the irises belonging to them giving them an almost… cat like… appearance. 

Dr McDonald and Mr Goodsir closed in on the two of them, McDonald was palpating around his neck and the back of his head, while Goodsir was trying to look into his eyes that were now roving uncontrollably with dizziness. 

“Mr Jopson, are you still with us?” Alex asked softly, moving his finger in front of the boy’s face. 

“Y-Yes... everything it’s too loud… and.. my eyes hurt..” he uttered freeing his face to bury it into the captain’s shirt to shield his burning eyes.

“Would it be possible…” Edward began but he trailed off, not knowing if he was actually providing something useful to say or not. 

Dr McDonald looked at him curiously, “What’s on your mind Lieutenant?” 

“Well I… do you think we could just… I don’t know…” Edward made a gesture with his hands imitating a knife on a chopping board, not really wanting to say the words.

“What, cut it off?” 

Edward nodded and this was when Mr Goodsir spoke up, trying to offer something, anything really. 

“Ah.. of that I would be hesitant Dr McDonald… Captain Crozier and I have found the appendage to be.. rather sensitive, and it also consists of a multitude of vertebrae.”

The lieutenant blinked, “Verta-what?”

“He means his spine Edward.” Crozier answered quickly. 

Dr McDonald reached up to the ears on top the steward’s head, inspecting them carefully with an uneasy captivation. 

“It was… I remember lights...” Jopson whispered softly voice coming muffled against the captain’s chest. 

Dr McDonald looked at him intrigued, he had thought the man’s rambling last night just a sign of delirium. “Lights?” 

“Yes… they had blended in with the aurora borealis last night...” 

Little and Dr Goodsir glanced at each other disturbed, and finally it was Edward who cleared his throat, “Jopson… there was no borealis last night… it was a clear sky, but it did start snowing heavily on the last trek back here.” 

Jopson looked up at him in alarm, “No! N-No that’s not possible… I… I saw it! It lit up the whole sky!” 

Captain Crozier placed his hands on his steward’s shoulders, “Shh, lad. No one is accusing you of anything, and given the...” he trailed off when the young man’s tail brushed against his leg, “… situation at hand, I find myself with no doubts that you must have experienced something out of the ordinary last night. Deep breath, tell us what happened.. there be no judgments here.” 

Poor Thomas sniffled, wiping tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, “I was on the dog watch… the lights they were so bright, greens, blues, and purples… nothing out of the ordinary… but...” 

Goodsir was scribbling things in his notebook and Dr McDonald elbowed him causing the man to blush and put the notepad and pen aside. 

“Please, do speak Mr Jopson, we’re listening.” Alex offered with a sweet smile. 

“I… I don’t know how to explain it… the blue parts of it… it seemed to come alive, and it… Sir, I watched it come down from the sky, it was… all over the ship it was lit up like a blue fire…” 

He was trying to avoid their eyes, he knew a couple of them would likely have baffled features on their faces and he himself thought he was mad.

“S-Sir.. I swear it was like it approached me! It… it just hovered in a mass of light in front of me.. and I-I thought if I touched it… maybe it would go away… but… the last thing I remember was an intense pain in the back of my head… then waking up here...”

Thomas didn’t even look up he knew they were all looking at him like he was mad. 

Bless Mr Goodsir, it was him who cleared his throat and spoke evenly to McDonald.

“Could that… have been the cause for his convulsions Doctor?”

Alex snapped from his daze at how absurd the tale had been and pondered the question over, in his head. 

“Well… I suppose.. but normally that would attribute to a head ailment which we found none...” 

Edward scoffed, “Oh come on, as if any of this is normal. We’ve been chased by a giant… well we don’t even know what it is… encountered storms without any warning, this can’t possibly seem THAT strange.” 

Dr McDonald nodded, “That is true bu-” 

A clicking noise could be heard from Jopson and everything went silent, Edward’s eyes went wide as he recognized the noise as the one he heard last night as he had bunked with the steward.  
Captain Crozier looked down at his chest where the lad was slumped against him, he must have been overcome with exhaustion because his eyes were closed. 

Dr Goodsir quickly grabbed his note pad and pen, leaning in closer to the captain before uttering in the softest of voices, “That noise… it’s coming from him?” 

Francis didn’t know what to say he just stared down at the steward in surprise, this was getting weirder and weirder.

“S-Sir… he was making that noise last night...” Edward stuttered face red. 

Dr McDonald leaned in closer too, his ear hovered before he boy’s shoulder as far to his chest he could get without waking him. 

“It’s coming from his throat.” McDonald mumbled softly. 

“He’s not choking…?” Goodsir asked suddenly.

“No… I...” Edward started but fell quiet again having to clear his throat before he could continue, “, I.. he was doing this last night… I um.. think he’s purring...” 

Both Dr McDonald and the captain looked at him in quiet disbelief at the absurdity while Goodsir let out a rather… childlike giggle at the notion and how one of feline ears on Jopson’s head twitched as he slept. 

All three men looked at the man who blushed eight shades of red. “I-I… sorry… this is just… beg your pardon captain… but ah… it is rather cute…” 

**~ X X X ~ **

In the end Dr McDonald had tried amputating the most unwelcome tail but it seemed to grow back, as was the situation with the ears.

This wretched place had cursed him, of that he was very, very certain. 

It had been a week since Fitzjames’s Carnivale where they had lost, the three surgeons which thrust poor Goodsir into being constantly demanded of. 

His heart swelled painfully at the memory of Dr McDonald, he’d really helped him accept this change as something.. not necessarily something bad. 

The man had been one of the kindest men aboard either ships. 

Not many of the men knew about the… condition… he’d been able to force the ears to lay flat on his head.. with the help of ah.. tape.. so he may comb his hair over them, they were after all the same color as his hair so it was fairly easy to get them to blend, though it didn’t exactly feel very good on the sensitive extremities, but by god he had a job and a reputation to uphold. 

Worst case scenario would be if the tape faltered and one of the ears perked back up. That hadn’t happened quite yet… wait, yes… yes it had and in front of Fitzjames of all people. 

So yes the Erebus captain knew of his… condition. 

A scowl crossed over his face as he recalled the situation man’s words,

_‘What in the name of the Lord…??’ _

_He jumped feeling fingers touching the ear that had sprung lose. _

_Both him and Edward just stared at the captain, who was quite wasted as it was… _

_‘Oh Edward… can we keep it?’_

Blushing furiously at the memory he shook his head to rid himself of it.

His pupils, they found, would retract and dilate much like the cat’s on Erebus. When Dr McDonald actually suggested he pay a visit to Erebus to learn from the cat, he had thought the idea had seemed absolutely absurd, but in actuality his… feline… companion… helped him notice the patterns his own eyes would take on and he found that depending on the light and the angle at which he held is head away from it, he could keep them from retracting to a fine line. 

As for the tail, he’d found he could just tuck it down a trouser leg, the hardest part was willing it to be still. 

Quietly he made his way to the great cabin to help the captain get ready for bed as he normally did this time of night. 

However, as soon as he opened the door he was surprised to be grabbed roughly by the shoulders, yanked inside and slammed against the wall. 

A startled cry escaped him and was about to start trying to defend himself when he felt hungry, needy, lips pressing against his and brilliant blue eyes staring at his face with such longing. 

When the captain parted from his lips he stumbled over his words, face red with embarrassment. 

“Beautiful boy, you taste even better without the whiskey.” Crozier drawled low into his ear.

Neither one of them had dared speak of… that encounter until now.. 

It had been a very, very drunk night for the two of them, one of the few instances Thomas had actually allowed himself to indulge in drink, things had gotten rather… steamy when he came clean about his feelings and the captain… being in the drunken state he was sort of misunderstood that as just wanted to go for tumble. 

When he’d confronted him about the incident the next morning he’d had his heart crushed when the man realized the whole meaning of the previous night, at the time he was still in love with Sophia Cracroft so he really couldn’t be angry with him, he was more angry at himself that he hadn’t stopped the drunken situation from escalating to the level it did.

Was this sincere this time?

“Captain.. I.. are you sure…?” he asked timidly. 

His only response was those lips on his again and a set of hands working on his waist coat. 

Jopson couldn’t help the way his eyes filled with tears, and though he tried to suppress it, a small sob escaped him. 

Crozier stopped what he was doing and looked at him in alarm, “Thomas? What on Earth is the matter?”

“I just… I wish you… you had decided earlier… b-before I...” his hushed voice trailed off seemingly unwilling to continue.

It took a second, but eventually Francis got what he meant and a warm smile formed upon his lips as he reached up to the young man’s head, messing his part to pull the tedious adhesives from his hair, causing pale eyes to squeeze shut briefly at the burning sting of some strands of hair being ripped out. 

Thomas felt the captain’s fingers rubbing tenderly against the feline ears atop his head and he blushed furiously. “S-Sir… please don’t...” 

“These? Is that what you’re worried about? That I’d find them unappealing?” he asked curiously, his nails itching just so faintly behind the lightly furred sense organs. 

A low rumble came from the back of his throat and Jopson’s rosiness intensified as he tried to push the hands away. “Please… it’s.. it’s humiliating Sir...” 

Francis leaned in to let their noses brush together, “I’ve told ye before lad, I think you’re adorable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY I LIED THIS WILL HAVE THREE CHAPTERS!!! 
> 
> Short and simple but hella fun!


	3. Chapter 3

The ears atop Jopson's head perked up at his words, and the bright blush glowed upon his lovely young face.

"Will you have me... Sir?"

His captain smiled his tooth-gaped grin that made Thomas's heart flutter with invisible butterflies.

Calloused hands trailed down his shoulders, down his sides, and came to a stop to rest heavily on his hips, fingers curling into the waistband of both trousers and drawers, and he could feel the warm backs of the digits against his skin.

Francis leaned in, bringing his face close enough that their noses touched briefly then he gave the tip of his a quick kiss.

"I think ye know the answer to that sailor." he said making quick work of his waist coat and sliding it off his shoulders, tossing the black article to the floor. 

Jopson smiled prettily, his dimples a pronounced accent to his young face as he placed his hands on his captain's broad shoulders.

“Perhaps… but I would very much like to hear it, Sir.” he replied as the man finished undoing his red dress shirt.

His captain paused his task of undressing him to cup his face with two warm hands, blue eyes staring deeply into his as he spoke so very gently, “Well then, there is no one else in this world I would rather have... Thomas Jopson.” 

Thomas could feel tears of joy burning in his eyes and he hated it, but he supposed it couldn’t be helped. He leaned up and captured the captain’s mouth with a slow, gentle kiss, that was returned just as affectionately and fingers were carefully undoing his under shirt.

He deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around the captain’s neck and bringing their bodies flush together when he stepped closer.

When the older man turned the affectionate kiss into quick, hungry, heated exchanges, their tongues battling for dominance, Jopson felt two hands on his bottom, each one large enough to cup a buttock that they squeezed roughly. 

“Oh… Sir...” Jopson gasped, using his captain’s shoulders as leverage Thomas hoisted his lower half up to wrap his legs around the captain’s waist causing Crozier to let out a small grunt of effort, arms readjusting to support his weight. 

Jopson’s hands found graying blonde hair that he kneaded tenderly, lips moving thirstily against the captain’s as he gradually moved them in the direction his bunk. He’d wanted this for so long that he was waiting for it all to be a cruel joke and to find himself sitting upright in bed.

He didn’t though. He could still feel those chapped lips against his own and taste the tobacco on the man’s tongue. 

Large hands gave his rear another firm squeeze and he wiggled against those hands, a loud keening moan tearing free against the captain’s lips. 

“Eager are you?” Captain Crozier chuckled, hearing the purr coming from Jopson's throat as he turned around sitting down on the side of his bunk, Thomas quickly readjusted his legs to straddle his hips. 

“S-Sir… I’ve wanted this… for so long.” the boy moaned, squirming with barely restrained anticipation as his captain slid the waistband of his both trousers and drawers down, situating them just below his arse. 

Jopson let out a content sigh as the long, sleek, midnight black appendage that had been hiding beneath layers of clothing was finally free to move. 

Francis buried his face into Jopson’s neck, biting and suckling as his steward tried to focus on removing him of his own top layers. 

He could feel the lad’s arousal poking his lower belly and when he glanced down he was a little surprised, he hadn’t expected the boy to be so… hard… already. Yet he was, the head leaking pre-cum down a shaft that was an angry red and painfully swollen.

“None of that now, Mr Jopson. Yer relieved of your duties for tonight… besides... we’ve got other work to do.” he whispered softly into the young man’s ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There! Kind of a short conclusion but this was meant as a short fic and I thought something sweet and simple would suffice.

**Author's Note:**

> This! HAS! BEEN! SO FUCKING FUN!! 
> 
> THANK YOU FOR MY BEAUTIFUL PROMPTER!!! I HOPE IT YOU WILL ENJOY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN!!!


End file.
